Cinema of Robert Altman - Hollywood Maverick

In his filmmaking career, Robert Altman mocked, subverted, or otherwise refashioned Hollywood narrative and genre conventions. Altman's idiosyncratic vision and propensity for formal experimentation resulted in an uneven body of work: some rank failures and intriguing near-misses, as well as a number of great films that are among the most influential works of New American Cinema. While Altman always professed to have nothing authoritative to say about the state of contemporary society, this volume surveys all of his major films in their sociohistorical context to reposition the director as a trenchant satirist and social critic of postmodern America.

List of contents

Acknowledgements
Preface
Introduction
1. Three Dream Films: Explorations of Female Identity
2. Experiments in Genre Revision
3. Large Canvases
4. Falling from Grace
5. In the Wilderness
6. Return to Form
7. Final Phase: More Large Canvases and Minor Works
Coda
Filmography
Bibliography
Index

About the author

Robert Niemi teaches film, critical theory, American literature, and cultural studies at St. Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont.

Summary

Surveys all of Robert Altman's major films in their sociohistorical context to reposition the director as a trenchant satirist and social critic of postmodern America

Product details

• Authors: Robert Niemi, Niemi Robert
• Publisher: Columbia University Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 29.02.2016
• EAN: 9780231176279
• ISBN: 978-0-231-17627-9
• No. of pages: 216
• Series: Directors' Cuts
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Art > Theatre, ballet; Non-fiction book > Music, film, theatre; Individual Film Directors, Film-Makers, PERFORMING ARTS / Individual Director, film; individual director; biography